KR20230043052A - Thermal resistant connector, battery module, battery pack and vehicle including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a heat-resistant connector improved to prevent a high pressure environment by high temperature by flames in a battery module and/or venting gas in the battery module from spreading to the outside, and a battery module, a battery pack, and a vehicle including the same. According to the present invention, the battery module comprises: a cell assembly including at least one battery cell; a module case accommodating the cell assembly; and a connector mounted on the module case. The connector comprises: a connector terminal to be electrically connected to the battery cell; a connector housing enclosing the connector terminal; and a connector header body coupled to the connector housing, wherein at least a portion thereof is inserted into the module case to be mounted on the module case. The connector header body is made of a heterogeneous composite material including a heat-resistant metallic material having a melting point of 1,000℃ or higher and a lightweight metallic material lighter than the heat-resistant metallic material.

Description

High heat resistance connector and battery module including the same, battery pack, automobile {Thermal resistant connector, battery module, battery pack and vehicle including the same}

The present invention relates to a battery module, a battery pack, and a vehicle including the same, and more particularly, to a battery module having an improved connector, a battery pack, and a vehicle including the same.

Secondary batteries are universally applied to portable devices as well as electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles driven by an electrical driving source and power storage devices because of their high ease of application according to product groups and electrical characteristics such as high energy density. These secondary batteries are attracting attention as a new energy source for improving energy efficiency and eco-friendliness in that they do not generate any by-products due to the use of energy as well as the primary advantage of dramatically reducing the use of fossil fuels.

A battery pack applied to an electric vehicle or the like has a structure in which a plurality of cell assemblies including a plurality of secondary battery cells are connected in series to obtain high output. In addition, the battery cell can be repeatedly charged and discharged by an electrochemical reaction between components including positive and negative current collectors, separators, active materials, electrolytes, and the like.

On the other hand, as the need for a large-capacity structure has recently increased, including use as an energy storage source, there is an increasing demand for a battery pack of a multi-module structure in which a plurality of battery cells are assembled with a plurality of battery modules connected in series and / or parallel. . When constructing a battery pack, it is common to construct a battery pack by first constructing a battery module composed of at least one battery cell and adding other components using the at least one battery module. The number of battery modules included in the battery pack or the number of battery cells included in the battery module may be variously set according to a required output voltage or charge/discharge capacity.

The battery module packages battery cells and various electric components in a module case, and includes a connector for electrical connection to an external device outside the module case. The connector is a connection connector for electrically connecting a plurality of battery modules to each other, a sensing connector for monitoring the voltage of battery cells, a charging connector for connecting to a charging device for charging battery cells, or charging a battery cell. It may be a connector for output that is connected to a motor driven by using the energy generated.

Since a conventional battery module is manufactured in a form in which a plurality of battery cells are concentrated in a narrow space, it is important to prevent a fire or the like. In particular, when such a battery module and a battery pack including the same are applied to a vehicle, it is necessary to pass a strict safety test.

Connectors provided in existing battery modules are mostly made of general plastic injection molding in all parts except connector terminals, but there is a problem in that they are easily melted when an abnormally high temperature occurs in a battery module to which this is applied. In particular, a battery module equipped with such a connector or a battery pack that is an assembly thereof may not pass the thermal runaway test. Thermal runaway test refers to a GB standard, a test in which a battery pack or system provides a thermal event alarm signal 5 minutes before a battery pack or system becomes hazardous to the passenger compartment of a vehicle due to thermal spread due to battery thermal runaway.

Therefore, in order to satisfy GB standards, a connector for preventing the spread of a high-temperature environment such as flame and/or a high-pressure environment caused by venting gas is required.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an improved connector to prevent a high temperature and/or a high pressure environment due to a venting gas in the battery module from spreading to the outside due to the generation of flame in the battery module.

Another problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery module including an improved connector.

Another problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery pack and a vehicle with increased stability against fire or explosion by including such a battery module.

However, the problem to be solved by the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned problem, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the invention described below.

A connector according to the present invention for solving the above problems is a connector terminal; a connector housing surrounding the connector terminal; and a connector header body coupled to the connector housing and made of a heterogeneous composite material including a heat-resistant metal material having a melting point of 1000° C. or higher and a lightweight metal material that is lighter than the heat-resistant metal material.

In the connector header body, a first portion relatively far from the connector housing may be made of the heat-resistant metal material, and a second portion closer to the connector housing than the first portion may be made of the lightweight metal material.

In the connector header body, a first portion relatively far from the connector housing may be made of a stainless (SUS metal) material, and a second portion adjacent to the connector housing compared to the first portion may be made of an aluminum-based metal material. .

The heterogeneous composite material may be a clad metal.

A battery module according to the present invention for solving the above problems is a cell assembly including at least one battery cell; a module case accommodating the cell assembly; and a connector mounted to the module case. The connector may include a connector terminal electrically connected to the battery cell; a connector housing surrounding the connector terminal; and a connector header body coupled to the connector housing and at least partially inserted into the module case to be mounted in the module case. Here, the connector header body is characterized in that it is made of a heterogeneous composite material including a heat-resistant metal material having a melting point of 1000° C. or higher and a lightweight metal material that is lighter than the heat-resistant metal material.

In the present invention, in the connector header body, a first part facing the cell assembly inside the module case is made of the heat-resistant metal material, and a second part facing the outside of the module case is made of the lightweight metal material compared to the first part. It may be made of material.

In the connector header body, a first portion facing the cell assembly inside the module case is made of a stainless (SUS metal) material, and a second portion facing the outside of the module case is made of an aluminum-based metal material compared to the first portion. there may be

In the connector header body, the heat-resistant metal material may face the cell assembly inside the module case, and the melting point of the heat-resistant metal material may be 1400° C. or higher.

An opening may be formed in the module case, and the connector header body may be fastened with bolts while making surface contact with the module case inside the opening to seal the opening.

At this time, in the connector header body, a first portion of the module case facing the cell assembly is made of the heat-resistant metal material, and a second portion of the connector header body that faces the outside of the module case is made of the lightweight metal material compared to the first portion. it may have been

The connector housing may be coupled to the connector header body by forcible press-fitting or hook-type fastening.

As another example, the connector housing and the connector header body may be integrally molded as a single component.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the battery module further includes a sealing gasket having a melting point of 1000° C. or higher and interposed between the module case and the connector header body.

An opening may be formed in the module case, and the connector header body may surface-contact the module case through the sealing gasket inside the opening and seal the opening.

The sealing gasket may have a frame shape having a hollow having the same size as the opening.

The sealing gasket and the connector header body may be bolted to the module case.

The sealing gasket may be a silicon gasket.

The present invention also provides a battery pack including at least one such battery module and a vehicle including at least one such battery pack.

According to the present invention, an improved connector, a so-called high heat resistance connector, and a battery module including the same, which are improved to prevent the high temperature caused by the generation of flame in the battery module and/or the high pressure environment caused by the venting gas in the battery module from spreading to the outside. Provided.

The battery module according to the present invention includes a connector including a connector header body including a heat-resistant metal material having a melting point of 1000 ° C. or higher, so that even if a flame is generated in the battery module and becomes an abnormally high temperature state, the flame to the outside of the battery module spread can be prevented. In addition, even if a venting gas is generated in the battery module and becomes an abnormally high-voltage state, explosion through the connector side can be prevented.

In particular, as proposed in the present invention, by applying a heterogeneous composite material to the connector, only the portion exposed to flame inside the battery module is made of heat-resistant metal, and the rest of the portion is made of a lighter metal material, thereby achieving airtightness and heat resistance as well as weight reduction. there is.

As described above, according to the present invention, a battery module including a highly heat-resistant connector that maintains an airtight structure of the battery module and endures a high-temperature/high-pressure environment even when thermal runaway occurs is provided. As a result of applying heterogeneous composite materials, there is also an effect of reducing weight and cost compared to the case of applying a single metal connector.

In addition, since another battery module according to the present invention includes a sealing gasket having a melting point of 1000° C. or higher, an effect of preventing flame spread to the outside of the battery module can be maximized.

For example, even when the temperature adjacent to the module case rises to about 600 ° C. (at least 5 minutes) or more, the battery module including the connector as proposed in the present invention can withstand high temperature / high pressure (100 kpa), Thermal transitions can be prevented. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a battery module with improved safety, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle.

The following drawings attached to this specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and together with the detailed description of the present invention serve to further understand the technical idea of the present invention, the present invention is the details described in such drawings should not be construed as limited to
1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a front view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is an enlarged view of a connector portion.
3 is a perspective view illustrating a separated connector portion of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 corresponding to the IV-IV′ section of FIG. 2 .
5 is a partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 corresponding to the VV' cross section of FIG. 2 .
6 is a perspective view illustrating a separated connector portion of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a perspective view of a sealing gasket that may be included in a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a schematic diagram showing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
10 to 12 are photographs of connectors manufactured for experiments.
13 and 14 are test setting photos for connector verification.
15 is a graph showing test results.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to this, the terms or words used in this specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to ordinary or dictionary meanings, and the inventors appropriately use the concept of terms in order to best explain their invention. It should be interpreted as a meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention based on the principle that it can be defined.

Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only one of the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention, so various alternatives can be made at the time of this application. It should be understood that there may be equivalents and variations. In addition, in order to aid understanding of the present invention, the accompanying drawings may not be drawn to scale but exaggerated dimensions of some components.

1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a front view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is an enlarged view of a connector portion. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a separated connector portion of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 corresponding to the IV-IV′ cross-section of FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 corresponding to the V-V′ cross-section of FIG.

Referring first to FIG. 1 , a battery module 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cell assembly 100 , a module case 150 and a connector 200 .

Cell assembly 100 includes at least one battery cell. The battery cells constituting the cell assembly 100 may be provided as pouch-type secondary batteries, and may be stacked and aligned in plurality in the cell assembly 100 . The plurality of battery cells may be electrically connected to each other, and each battery cell may include an electrode assembly, an exterior material accommodating the electrode assembly, and an electrode lead protruding out of the exterior material and electrically connected to the electrode assembly.

The electrode lead may include a positive electrode lead and a negative electrode lead. The positive electrode lead and the negative electrode lead may be disposed in opposite directions with respect to the length direction of the battery cell, or the positive electrode lead and negative electrode lead may be disposed in the same direction with respect to the length direction of the battery cell. The positive electrode lead and the negative electrode lead may be made of various materials. For example, the positive electrode lead may be made of aluminum and the negative electrode lead may be made of copper.

The electrode lead may be electrically coupled to a bus bar (not shown). The battery cell may have a structure in which a plurality of unit cells arranged in the order of positive plate-separator-negative plate or bi-cells arranged in the order of positive plate-separator-negative plate-separator-positive plate-separator-negative plate are stacked according to capacity.

The cell assembly 100 may be configured such that a plurality of battery cells are stacked on each other. Here, the battery cells may have various structures, and a plurality of battery cells may be stacked in various ways.

The cell assembly 100 may include a plurality of cartridges (not shown) accommodating each battery cell. Each cartridge (not shown) may be manufactured by injection molding of plastic, and a plurality of cartridges may be stacked in which a storage part capable of accommodating a battery cell is formed. A cartridge assembly in which a plurality of cartridges are stacked may include a terminal element. The terminal element is a main terminal connected to the battery cell and includes a positive terminal and a negative terminal, and the terminal element is provided with a terminal bolt to be electrically connected to the outside. Meanwhile, battery cells may have various shapes.

The module case 150 has an empty space therein. The module case 150 accommodates the cell assembly 100 and forms the exterior of the battery module 10 . The module case 150 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the shape of the cell assembly 100 or the cartridge assembly. For example, when the cell assembly 100 or the cartridge assembly is provided in a hexahedral shape, the module case 150 may also be provided in a hexahedral shape to correspond thereto. Various electrical components may be included in the module case 150, and for example, an internal circuit board (ICB) or a battery management system (BMS) may be included. Electric components such as the ICB and BMS board may be electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells.

The module case 150 may be manufactured by, for example, bending a metal plate or may be manufactured by plastic injection molding. Also, the module case 150 may be manufactured integrally or separately. In general, the module case 150 may have a structure in which at least one side is open, and the cell assembly 100 is inserted through the open portion and then the open portion is blocked. The module case 150 may be provided in a rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole.

The configuration of the module case 150 may vary. For example, the module case 150 may include a U-shaped frame accommodating the cell assembly 100 and having an open top, and a top plate covering the cell assembly 100 at the top of the U-shaped frame. The U-shaped frame has open upper surfaces, front and rear surfaces, and end plates are located on the front and rear surfaces of the U-shaped frame, respectively, to block the open front and rear surfaces.

For another example, the module case 150 may include a square tubular monoframe in which both facing sides are open, and a front cover and a rear cover blocking both facing sides of the monoframe. The present invention is not limited to the structure of a particular module case 150.

The connector 200 is mounted on the module case 150. The connector 200 may be mounted on a portion easily electrically connected to the cell assembly 100 accommodated in the module case 150 . For example, it may be mounted at a portion close to an electrode lead of a battery cell included in the cell assembly 100 . For example, as shown, it may be mounted on an end plate, front cover, or rear cover side adjacent to a portion of the module case 150 where an electrode lead of a battery cell may be located. The connector 200 may be provided with various types of electrical connecting parts or connecting members to be connected to a BMS capable of providing data on voltages or temperatures of battery cells inside the battery module 10 . And, the connector 200 is coupled to the module case 150 to transmit data on voltage or temperature to the outside.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 , the connector 200 includes a connector terminal 210 , a connector housing 220 and a connector header body 230 .

The connector terminal 210 is for electrically connecting a component provided on one side of the connector 200 with respect to the connector 200 and another component provided on the other side of the connector 200 . In this embodiment, the connector 200 is a sensing connector for monitoring the voltage of battery cells, and the connector terminal 210 is for electrically connecting to the battery cells of the cell assembly 100 . An output plug (not shown) may be connected to the connector terminal 210 to connect voltage data of the battery cells of the cell assembly 100 to a BMS or the like. The connector terminal 210 may include, for example, a conductive material such as copper (Cu).

The connector housing 220 surrounds the connector terminal 210 . The connector housing 220 may have a structure in which one end is exposed by accommodating the connector terminal 210 .

The connector housing 220 is coupled to the connector header body 230 . The connector housing 220 may be a separate component from the connector header body 230 manufactured by plastic injection. The connector housing 220 may be coupled to the connector header body 230 by forced press fitting or hook type fastening.

The connector header body 230 may expose one end of the connector terminal 210 exposed from the connector housing 220 . At least a portion of the connector header body 230 is inserted into the module case 150 to be mounted on the module case 150, and the connector housing 220 is maintained outside the module case 150. The connector terminal 210 may pass through the connector housing 220 and the connector header body 230 . A hole may be formed in the connector header body 230 through which the connector terminal 210 passes. The connector terminal 210 may be introduced into the module case 150 through a hole of the connector header body 230 .

The connector header body 230 is coupled to the module case 150 . The connector header body 230 may be coupled to the module case 150 in various ways.

4 and 5, in this embodiment, an opening 152 is formed in the module case 150, and the connector header body 230 makes surface contact with the module case 150 inside the opening 152. While the bolt 240 is fastened, the opening 152 is hermetically sealed. A fastening hole through which the bolt 240 passes may be formed in the connector header body 230 .

All parts of the module case 150 except for the opening 152 may be sealed through a welding method. In this situation, when thermal runaway occurs in the battery module 10, the portion most exposed to flame and gas becomes the portion of the connector 200. In the present invention, by improving the connector 200, it is possible to prevent a high temperature due to the generation of a flame within the battery module 10 and/or a high pressure environment due to a venting gas within the battery module 10 from spreading to the outside.

With the connector housing 220 coupled to the connector header body 230, the connector housing 220 is exposed through the opening 152 inside the module case 150, and then the module case 150 and the connector header body ( 230) may be fastened with bolts 240. Instead, after the connector header body 230 is interviewed to the module case 150 from the inside of the module case 150 and the bolt 240 is fastened from the outside of the module case 150, the connector housing (from the outside of the module case 150) 220) may be coupled to the connector header body 230.

The opening 152 may have a size covered by the connector housing 220 fastening. Since the opening 152 is larger than the connector housing 220 , a portion of the connector header body 230 may be visible from the outside of the module case 150 .

Here, the connector header body 230 is characterized by being made of a heterogeneous composite material. Here, the heterogeneous composite material refers to a material including a heat-resistant metal material having a melting point of 1000° C. or higher and a lightweight metal material that is lighter than the heat-resistant metal material. The connector header body 230 is relatively far from the connector housing 220. The first part 230a may be made of the heat-resistant metal material, and the second part 230b adjacent to the connector housing 220 may be made of the lightweight metal material compared to the first part 230a. The heterogeneous composite material constituting the connector header body 230 may be a clad metal. Clad metal refers to a composite metal in which two or more types of metals having different characteristics are bonded under high pressure and then subjected to diffusion annealing to induce bonding between dissimilar metals. The clad metal may have a layered structure between heterogeneous metals and may be used as a single material.

The heat-resistant metal material is a metal material that has a melting point of 1000° C. or higher and is therefore difficult to melt. For example, metals called refractory metals or refractory metals, which are generic names for metals whose melting point is higher than 1539° C., which is the melting point of iron, may be such a heat-resistant metal material. For example, niobium, vanadium, tantalum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, molybdenum, and tungsten are such heat-resistant metal materials.

A heat-resistant alloy that is an alloy of iron, nickel, or cobalt and is used up to about 1100°C but can withstand temperatures of 1300°C or more may also be a heat-resistant metal material. Iron-based alloys can be improved by increasing stainless (SUS metal), chromium or nickel here, or adding other elements. There are nickel-based alloys in which chromium and cobalt are added to nickel. There is also a nickel-molybdenum alloy called hastelloy.

When a flame occurs inside the battery module 10, the connector header body 230 can withstand a high temperature/high pressure (100 kpa) because the temperature adjacent to the connector header body 230 can rise to about 600° C. (at least 5 minutes) or more. should be able to Accordingly, the present invention proposes that the connector header body 230 include a heat-resistant metal material having a melting point of 1000° C. or higher.

In particular, it is preferable to use a heat-resistant metal material that faces the cell assembly 100 inside the module case 150 and has a melting point of 1400° C. or higher.

In the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the first portion 230a of the connector header body 230 facing the cell assembly 100 inside the module case 150 is made of such a heat-resistant metal material. Compared to the first part 230a, the second part 230b facing the outside of the module case 150, the part in surface contact with the inside of the module case 150 in this embodiment, is lighter than the first part 230a. It is made of metal material.

Preferably, the first portion 230a is made of a stainless (SUS metal) material and the second portion 230b is made of an aluminum-based metal material. Since the stainless (SUS metal) material has a melting point of 1400° C. or higher, it is not easily melted even if a flame occurs inside the battery module 10. Stainless (SUS metal) material is cheaper than other heat-resistant metal materials. Stainless (SUS metal) material has easy processability to be manufactured as a clad metal along with a lightweight metal material. Since aluminum has a melting point of 660° C., it is very light while having some resistance to high temperature issues generated outside the battery module 10 . In addition, it has easy processability for manufacturing with clad metal along with stainless (SUS metal) material.

According to the present invention, the first portion 230a of the connector header body 230 may remain intact even in a relatively high temperature environment. For example, even if a flame directly contacts the connector header body 230, the first portion 230a does not melt, and heat transfer to the connector housing 220 on the opposite side of the module case 150 can be prevented.

The entire connector header body 230 is not made of a heat-resistant metal material, and only the first portion 230a facing the cell assembly 100 inside the module case 150 is made of such a heat-resistant metal material, and the remaining portion, that is, the module case 150 The second portion 230b facing outward is made of a lightweight metal material that is lighter than the first portion 230a. Accordingly, heat resistance may be secured by applying a stainless (SUS metal) material to the portion exposed to the inside of the battery module 10 and exposed to high temperature/high pressure. The portion facing the outside of the battery module 10 is made of a lightweight metal material such as an aluminum-based metal material to reduce weight.

In the conventional connector, the parts corresponding to the connector housing 220 and the connector header body 230 are composed only of plastic injection molding, so that smoke and flame are exposed to the outside by melting during thermal runaway. If the connector is made of a material with a higher melting point than plastic extrusion, such as a single metal, it will be very heavy. When a heavy connector is fastened to the module case 150, a fastening means such as, for example, a bolt 240 may be loosened to prevent airtightness from being maintained.

In the present invention, by providing a connector to which a heterogeneous composite material having high heat resistance and light weight is applied, it is possible to realize airtightness and light weight while satisfying GB standards related to thermal runaway.

As described above, according to the present invention, a battery module including a highly heat-resistant connector that maintains an airtight structure of the battery module and endures a high-temperature/high-pressure environment even when thermal runaway occurs is provided. There is also an effect of reducing weight and cost compared to single metal by applying heterogeneous composite materials.

In this embodiment, the case where the connector header body 230 and the connector housing 220 are separate parts has been described. As another example, the connector housing 220 and the connector header body 230 may be integrally molded as a single component. The connector header body 230 may be manufactured by manufacturing a clad metal disc including a heat-resistant metal material and a lightweight metal material, and then processing the connector header body 230 in a desired shape. After disposing the connector header body 230 and the connector terminal 210 in a mold, when plastic is melted, injected into the mold, and hardened, the connector housing 220 and the connector header body 230 may be integrally molded and manufactured. It can be said that it is based on the method of insert injection. If the connector housing 220 is integrally manufactured with the connector header body 230, strong binding force between the connector housing 220 and the connector header body 230 may be obtained without using a separate fastening member. Accordingly, manufacturing cost can be reduced by reducing the number of parts, and fastening work can be omitted, thereby reducing manufacturing time and forming a stable coupling structure.

6 is a perspective view illustrating a separated connector portion of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention. 7 is a perspective view of a sealing gasket that may be included in a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 , the battery module 10 may further include a sealing gasket 235 interposed between the module case 150 and the connector header body 230 and having a melting point of 1000° C. or higher.

An opening 152 is formed in the module case 150, and the connector header body 230 is in surface contact with the module case 150 through the sealing gasket 235 inside the opening 152 to open the opening 152. can be confidential A fastening hole through which the bolt 240 passes may be formed in the connector header body 230 .

After exposing the connector housing 220 through the opening 152 inside the module case 150 with the sealing gasket 235 and the connector housing 220 coupled to the connector header body 230, the module case 150 ) and the connector header body 230 may be fastened with bolts 240. Instead, after placing the interview through the sealing gasket 235 between the connector header body 230 and the module case 150 from the inside of the module case 150, the bolt 240 is fastened from the outside of the module case 150, The connector housing 220 may be coupled to the connector header body 230 from outside the module case 150 .

The sealing gasket 235 may have a frame shape having a hollow having the same size as the opening 152 . An outer periphery of the sealing gasket 235 may coincide with an outer periphery of the connector header body 230 .

The sealing gasket 235 and the connector header body 230 may be fastened to the module case 150 with bolts 240 . Reference numeral 237 is a fastening hole provided to allow the bolt 240 to pass through the sealing gasket 235 .

Preferably, the sealing gasket 235 is a silicone gasket. The sealing gasket 235 maintains airtightness even during thermal runaway within the battery module 10 and has an excellent effect of preventing flame and gas from being exposed to the outside of the battery module 10 through the connector 200 .

The opening 152 may have a size covered by the connector housing 220 fastening. Since the opening 152 is larger than the connector housing 220 , a portion of the connector header body 230 may be visible from the outside of the module case 150 .

The sealing gasket 235 may be regarded as a component constituting the connector 200 or may be regarded as a separate component from the connector 200 . The battery module including the sealing gasket 235 can maximize the effect of preventing the spread of flame to the outside of the battery module even if a flame is generated in the battery module and becomes an abnormally high temperature state.

According to the present invention, the connector header body 230 can be maintained undamaged even in a relatively high temperature environment. Even if a direct flame contacts the connector header body 230, it does not melt. The sealing gasket 235 can also remain intact even in a relatively high temperature environment. Even if a flame directly contacts the sealing gasket 235, it does not melt. The sealing gasket 235 may prevent heat transfer to the connector housing 220 on the opposite side of the module case 150 .

In the conventional connector, the parts corresponding to the connector housing 220 and the connector header body 230 are composed only of plastic injection molding, so that smoke and flame are exposed to the outside by melting during thermal runaway. There is also no sealing component such as the sealing gasket 235. In the present invention, by providing a battery module 10 including a connector 200 including a connector header body 230 having high heat resistance by having a melting point of 1000 ° C. or higher and a sealing gasket 235, GB standards related to thermal runaway can be satisfied while maintaining confidentiality.

As described above, according to the present invention, a battery module that maintains an airtight structure of the battery module and endures a high temperature/high pressure environment even when thermal runaway occurs is provided.

8 is a schematic diagram showing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

8 and 9 , a battery pack 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include at least one battery module according to the present invention described above, for example, the battery module 10 according to an embodiment. can In addition, the battery pack 300 may include a pack case 310 capable of accommodating the at least one battery module 10 . In addition, in addition to the battery module 10, other various components, for example, components of a battery pack known at the time of filing of the present invention, such as relays and current sensors, may be further included.

The battery modules 10 form an almost rectangular parallelepiped state, and can be arranged in an orderly manner within the battery pack case 310, and each battery module 10 is connected so as to secure power necessary for driving the vehicle 400. there is.

The battery pack case 310 is a container for fixing and accommodating the battery modules 10, and is a rectangular parallelepiped box. In addition, the battery pack case 310 may be installed at a predetermined location in the vehicle 400 .

Preferably, the vehicle 400 may be an electric vehicle. The battery pack 300 may be used as an electric energy source for driving the vehicle 400 by providing driving force to a motor of the electric vehicle. In this case, the battery pack 300 has a high nominal voltage of 100V or more.

The battery pack 300 may be charged or discharged by an inverter according to driving of a motor and/or an internal combustion engine. The battery pack 300 may be charged by a regenerative charging device coupled with a brake. The battery pack 300 may be electrically connected to the motor of the vehicle 400 through an inverter. In addition, it goes without saying that the battery pack 300 may also be provided in other devices, instruments, and facilities, such as an electric power storage system (ESS) using a secondary battery, in addition to the vehicle.

As such, the battery pack 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention and a device, instrument, or facility including the battery pack 300 such as the vehicle 400 includes the battery module 10 described above. , a battery pack 300 having all the advantages of the battery module 10 described above, and a device such as a vehicle 400 having such a battery pack 300, or devices, equipment, and the like can be implemented.

According to various embodiments as described above, even if a flame is generated in the battery module and becomes an abnormally high temperature state, the spread of the flame to the outside of the battery module can be prevented. In addition, according to the present invention, even if a venting gas is generated in the battery module and becomes an abnormally high-voltage state, explosion of the battery module can be prevented.

For example, even when the temperature adjacent to the module case rises to about 600 ° C. (at least 5 minutes) or more, the battery module including the connector as proposed in the present invention can withstand high temperature / high pressure (100 kpa), Thermal transitions can be prevented. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a battery module with improved safety, a battery pack including the same, and a vehicle.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail by explaining experimental examples.

10 to 12 are photographs of connectors manufactured for experiments. Referring first to FIG. 10, the connector housing 220 including the connector header body 230 and the connector terminal 210 constituting the connector 200 , and the sealing gasket 235 is shown.

11 is a picture taken from the side of the connector header body 230 after assembling the connector 200 and the sealing gasket 235, and shows the inside of the module case of the battery module. The first part 230a of the connector header body 230 is made of SUS metal. The second portion 230b of the connector header body 230 is made of aluminum. The first portion 230a and the second portion 230b are a clad metal, a heterogeneous composite material. The thickness of the clad metal was 6 mm, of which the thickness of the SUS metal was 10% of the total clad metal thickness.

FIG. 12 is a picture taken from the side of the sealing gasket 235 after assembling the connector 200 and the sealing gasket 235, and shows the outside of the module case of the battery module. The sealing gasket 235 is made of silicon material. The thickness of the sealing gasket 235 was 2 mm.

13 and 14 are test setting photos for verifying the connector 200. To create a situation in which the connector 200 is mounted in the module case, as shown in FIG. 13, the connector 200 is mounted on the plate 150' made of aluminum similar to the module case 150 with the sealing gasket 235 interposed therebetween. did In order to simulate the case where a flame is generated inside the module case, a test is performed by heating with a torch 500 on the opposite side of the plate 150'. In order to check the temperature of each part during the test, as shown in FIG. 14, the position 'a' close to the first part 230a, which is a part directly exposed to the flame, of the connector header body 230 and the sealing gasket 235 Temperature measurement lines were connected to a position 'b' corresponding to the gap between the sealing gasket 235 and a position 'c' corresponding to the gap between the plate 150'.

15 is a graph showing test results. 15 shows a picture of the connector 200 taken at a specific point in time as an inset picture.

The time when the flame started to generate with the torch 500 was set to 0 on the horizontal axis of the graph, and the temperatures at positions a, b, and c were measured over time, mapped to the vertical axis, and graphed. The temperature change at position a represents the temperature change in the first portion 230a, which is a portion directly exposed to the flame, and as shown in FIG. 15, it is a very high temperature of approximately 1000°C. However, as the first portion 230a blocks thermal transition, the temperature at the position b between the connector header body 230 and the sealing gasket 235 drops to close to 400°C. Furthermore, as the sealing gasket 235 blocks heat transfer, the temperature at the position c corresponding to the space between the sealing gasket 235 and the plate 150' is maintained below 200°C and rises to about 400°C only after 5 minutes. In this way, by including the connector 200 and the sealing gasket 235, even if a flame is generated inside the module case, the effect of preventing heat transfer to the outside of the module case can be confirmed.

In particular, looking at the inset photos over time, the effect of heat resistance is remarkable.

Referring to the inset photo (1) of FIG. 15, the beginning of deformation of the connector housing 220 was observed 40 seconds after heating with the torch 500. The inserted picture (2) is a picture after 1 minute and 11 seconds has elapsed, and the connector housing 220 has started to burn. As shown in the inserted picture (3), the connector housing 220 was separated after 3 minutes. The inset photo (4) is a photo after 4 minutes, and although the connector housing 220 is completely burned, there is no flame exposure to the outside of the plate 150'.

In this way, when the connector 200 is made of a heterogeneous composite material as proposed in the present invention, the connector housing 220 is separated from the connector housing 220 after 3 minutes, but in the conventional case, the connector housing is separated immediately after exposure to flame. do. This is because it is made of only plastic materials, not heterogeneous composite materials. When the connector 200 is made of a heterogeneous composite material, the flame is not exposed to the outside, but otherwise, since the connector housing is separated immediately, the flame is exposed to the outside within less than 10 seconds. The connector 200 according to the present invention can withstand flame at 1000 ° C. for 5 minutes and has a remarkable effect of preventing flame exposure to the outside of the module case.

In addition, when a flame is generated inside the battery module, a high-pressure environment of about 100 kpa is created. Although the above experimental example was carried out in an unsealed situation by mounting the connector 200 on the plate 150', since heat resistance is maintained even in a situation where a flame of 1000 ° C. is applied to the connector 200, the connector of the present invention (200) can be expected to be able to withstand the high pressure caused by the flame.

As described above, although the present invention has been described by the limited embodiments and drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the technical spirit of the present invention and the following by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs Of course, various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of equivalents of the claims to be described.

10: battery module
100: cell assembly
150: module case
200: connector
210: connector terminal
220: connector housing
230: connector header body
235: sealing gasket

Claims (20)

connector terminal;
a connector housing surrounding the connector terminal; and
A connector characterized in that it comprises a connector header body coupled to the connector housing and made of a heterogeneous composite material including a heat-resistant metal material having a melting point of 1000 ° C. or higher and a lightweight metal material that is lighter than the heat-resistant metal material. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the connector header body, a first portion relatively far from the connector housing is made of the heat-resistant metal material, and a second portion adjacent to the connector housing is made of the lightweight metal material compared to the first portion. A connector characterized in that it is. The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the connector header body, a first portion relatively far from the connector housing is made of stainless (SUS metal), and a second portion adjacent to the connector housing is made of aluminum-based metal compared to the first portion. A connector characterized in that it is made of a material. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the heterogeneous composite material is a clad metal. a cell assembly comprising at least one battery cell;
a module case accommodating the cell assembly; and
Including a connector mounted to the module case,
The connector,
a connector terminal electrically connected to the battery cell;
a connector housing surrounding the connector terminal; and
A heterogeneous composite material coupled to the connector housing, at least partially inserted into the module case, and mounted on the module case, including a heat-resistant metal material having a melting point of 1000° C. or higher and a lightweight metal material that is lighter than the heat-resistant metal material. A battery module comprising a connector header body made of. The method of claim 5, wherein the connector header body has a first portion facing the cell assembly inside the module case made of the heat-resistant metal material and a second portion facing the outside of the module case compared to the first portion made of the lightweight metal material. A battery module characterized in that it is made of a material. The method of claim 5, wherein, in the connector header body, a first portion facing the cell assembly inside the module case is made of stainless (SUS metal) material, and a second portion facing the outside of the module case is aluminum compared to the first portion. A battery module characterized in that it is made of a series metal material. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein in the connector header body, the heat-resistant metal material faces the cell assembly inside the module case, and the melting point of the heat-resistant metal material is 1400° C. or higher. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein the heterogeneous composite material is a clad metal. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein an opening is formed in the module case, and the connector header body is fastened with bolts while making surface contact with the module case inside the opening, thereby sealing the opening. 11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a first portion of the connector header body toward the cell assembly inside the module case is made of the heat-resistant metal material, and a second portion toward the outside of the module case relative to the first portion is made of the lightweight material. A battery module characterized in that it is made of a metal material. 6. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein the connector housing is coupled to the connector header body by forcible press-fitting or hook-type fastening. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein the connector housing and the connector header body are integrally molded single components. The battery module according to claim 5, further comprising a sealing gasket interposed between the module case and the connector header body and having a melting point of 1000°C or higher. 15. The battery module according to claim 14, wherein an opening is formed in the module case, and the connector header body makes surface contact with the module case through the sealing gasket inside the opening and seals the opening. 16. The battery module according to claim 15, wherein the sealing gasket has a frame shape having a hollow having the same size as the opening. 15. The battery module according to claim 14, wherein the sealing gasket and the connector header body are bolted to the module case. 15. The battery module according to claim 14, wherein the sealing gasket is a silicon gasket. at least one battery module according to any one of claims 5 to 18; and
A battery pack comprising a pack case for packaging the at least one battery module. A motor vehicle comprising at least one battery pack according to claim 19 .

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